Support the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act (SB 1250/HB 1139)

Overview

Legislation to legalize medical marijuana has been introduced in Florida! House Bill 1139, also known as the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, is named after a 63-year-old, wheelchair-bound Parrish woman who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 1986. Cannabis use allowed her to quit eight of her nine pharmaceutical medications. Read more about Cathy Jordan and the recent armed DEA raid of her home.

In summary, HB 1139:

authorizes qualifying patients and caregivers to possess and use medical cannabis;

Call your Senator and Representative. Try their Capitol office (in Tallahassee) first and then their district office.

A staffer will most likely answer the phone. Follow the script below. (When calling a House Rep, make sure to say you are calling to urge “Representative ____ to support HB 1139.” When calling your Senator, say “I am calling to urge Senator _____ to support SB 1250.”)

Hello, my name is _______ and I am calling to urge [Senator/Representative] ________ to support [HB 1139/SB 1250], the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act.

There is an abundance of scientific evidence that cannabis is a safe and effective medicine for some conditions.

This sensible legislation would allow qualifying patients to use a number of safe alternatives that effectively deliver the same therapeutic cannabinoids as pharmaceutical formulations without the harms of smoke inhalation, including vaporization or the ingestion of extracts and tinctures made from the cannabis plant.

I urge you to protect the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship and support a compassionate exception for seriously ill patients.